Night Owl
by Insignificance
Summary: Gruesome murders had been happening in Nerima and Ranma must find the murderer before it targets someone dear to him. But what if the murderer IS someone dear to him? WARNING: written in early HS years lol
1. Part One

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma 1/2 casts but I do own the fanfic.   
This fanfic is a little dark and it's serious, contain violence and   
blood shed and it's a little graphic about it, too. If you can't   
handle that, please do NOT read this. Also, please don't say I didn't   
warn ya! ^_^  
  
Night Owl  
Part One  
By: Silver Star  
  
  
Akane twist and turned as sweat covered her whole body. Her   
knuckle turned white from holding the bed sheet so tightly. Her head   
went right and then left on her white pillow and sweat matted her short   
hair onto her forehead.  
  
"No..." she whimpered, her hands tightly clutching the bed sheet.   
  
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she started to breathe in   
small, short gasps. She clutched her throat as if she couldn't breath.   
She struggled to breathe but she couldn't as if something or someone is   
strangling her.   
  
Then, with one short breath, her body went slack and her hands,   
which were clutching at her throat, went limp onto her chest. Her eyes   
rolled to the back of her head and she passed out.  
  
A blood red sign pulsed on the center of her forehead...  
  
  
  
"It's late, granddaughter, go home and sleep." An old man said   
to a young girl in a dusty room piled with old boxes and junks.  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts, Meiling. You need the sleep."  
  
"Alright, grandfather. But don't work too hard, alright?"  
  
"Yes, yes, now go." The girl took one last look at her   
grandfather and walked out the room. The old man looked at the dusty   
boxes and sighed. Suddenly, a shadow passed over the only open window   
in the room. The old man looked up sharply but nothing was there.   
There was a small noise behind him and he looked back.   
  
He screamed.  
  
  
  
"Morning, Akane." Nabiki greeted her little sister as Akane made   
her way to her seat at breakfast table. "Hey, you okay?"  
  
Akane nodded but her face was deathly pale almost as if she has   
seen a ghost. She was also up later then usual and she's walking as if   
she's having a stomachache with her arm over her stomach. She sat down   
but didn't touch her food at all while Ranma and his pop ravaged their   
breakfast.   
  
"Are you alright, Akane?" Kasumi asked worriedly. "You are not   
eating anything at all. Are you sick?"  
  
"I'm okay, Kasumi." Akane said softly as if she has no strength   
to talk. She lifted her chopstick and took a few bites of the   
scrambled eggs but stopped after that.   
  
"Hey, listen to this." Nabiki said behind the Newspaper she's   
reading. "Last night an old man was murdered. According to the press,   
he was torn to bits! Yuck!"  
  
"How awful!" Soun exclaimed.  
  
"Here's what they say." Nabiki added and started to read from   
the paper. "'Last night at around midnight, the 64 years old Urusume   
Tagashi was murdered in the storage room of this newly bought store.   
According to his 14 years old granddaughter, Meiling Tagashi, they were   
clearing out the boxes in the storage room. At around 4 minutes after   
midnight, he told her to go to sleep but stayed to clean the room   
himself. He begin to scream about 2 minutes later and when Meiling   
came back, he was dead.'  
  
"It said here that it looks as if a beast fed on him. Now THAT'S   
disgusting!" Nabiki exclaimed and put down the paper.   
  
Akane threw-up.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Akane." Ranma called down to the pale girl below him.   
"Are you sure you are okay? I mean, it's not too late to go back."  
  
Akane glared at him. "What are you hiding today? Do you have a   
date with one of your fiancée and doesn't want me to see her pick you   
up?"  
  
Even in this weak condition, her chi was still high.  
  
"No! No! Of course, not!" Ranma quickly yelled and dodged just   
in time. He gulped as he saw the dent Akane created. "Oh, man, I'm in   
BIG trouble!"   
  
"Come back here!!!" Akane screamed, her mallet held high in the   
air. "RAAAAAANNNNNNMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
  
  
A shadow flitted from roof to roof quick as a lightning and quiet   
as a cat.   
  
Ukyou sighed and wiped her forehead of sweat with her arm. Her   
restaurant is filled with broken wood and splinters from the last fight   
between Ryouga and Ranma. One of the walls was cracked but not much   
damaged. Most of the chairs and tables were either totally destroyed   
or have at least one leg whacked off.   
  
"I wish Ranchan choose me now so Ryouga doesn't have to fight him   
all the time over Akane." Ukyou muttered to herself. She had stacked   
all the tables and chairs that are either still repairable or not   
exactly touched and there aren't a lot of them. Thankfully, most of   
her plates, glasses, and bowls were not broken but she can't say the   
same for the next time, which will be a while, at least with Ryouga,   
anyway.  
  
Ukyou looked at a clock. "Gosh, it's past midnight already? I   
didn't know I worked that long." She said to herself. She thought and got   
out a broom, shoving some of the broken dishes and splinters of wood   
together.  
  
She gathered them together in a small pile and then put them in a   
bag so she could take it to the dumpster. She was just a few steps out   
the door of her restaurant when she felt a very fait whoosh of air.   
  
So faint that if she wasn't a martial artist, she'll never   
detect. Years of battle and sneak attacks, and especially now in   
Nerima, made her always very cautious.   
  
She snapped around but all she saw was a blur shadow. She   
frowned, looking around cautiously. She thought to herself, never letting her guards down.   
  
She suddenly detected a rush of air and jumped out of the way   
just in time to watch a black blur made a dent at the place she had   
been a few seconds ago. It disappeared back into the shadows before   
she could take a look at her attacker.  
  
"Who are you?" She said in a loud voice, but not loud enough to   
wake everybody else on the street. "And what do you want?"  
  
It didn't answer nor did it move. They stayed like that for a   
few more seconds and then it attacked her again. Ukyou jumped back to   
avoid what seemed to be a punch only to be hit on the right should by   
it's other hand. Ukyou raised her left arm to block a blow and raised   
her leg to kick her opponent.   
  
It seemed to know what she's planning and did graceful back flip   
to avoid Ukyou's foot. Now it's in the light and Ukyou took a look at   
her attacker.   
  
It's a girl around her age with short black hair. Her face is in   
the shadow of her bangs and hood but Ukyou thought she looked familiar.   
Around the girls neck is a solid gold collar-like necklace with a big   
oval shaped onyx in the center of it. She's wearing a loose long-  
sleeved black shirt with loose Chinese pants. Around her wrists were   
two gold cuffs. Black heel-less shoes covered her feet and two gold   
cuffs covered her ankles.   
  
The girl blurred over to Ukyou without a sound and uppercut her,   
ending her to the center of the road. Ukyou quickly got up and took   
out several sharp spatulas, throwing them with a lightning speed at the   
girl. Several of them missed but one found its mark and embedded   
itself into the girl's right forearm.   
  
"WRRREEOOWWW!!" The girl screeched. The sound was almost like a   
cat or a lion. Ukyou started and realized for the first time that the   
girl has sharp cat fangs.  
  
The girl took out the spatula and threw it away, blood spill out   
of her wound but not much. She jumped up and placed a kick at Ukyou's   
chest. Ukyou brought her hands up and grabbed the girl's foot just   
before it connects and twist it. The girl took the chance and twists   
her other foot up, hitting Ukyou on the side of her face.   
  
The girl back flipped and put several feet of distance between   
them. A thin trickle of blood came down Ukyou's chin and she wiped it   
away.  
  
Ukyou tho 


	2. Part Two

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma 1/2 casts but I do own the fanfic.   
This fanfic is a little dark and it's serious, contain violence and   
blood shed and it's a little graphic about it, too. If you can't handle   
that, please do NOT read this. Also, please don't say I didn't warn ya!   
^_^  
  
Night Owl  
Part Two  
By: Silver Star  
  
  
Kuno stood in the center of his garden and stared at the full   
moon. He thought.  
  
He looked down from the moon and looked at the paper that was on   
a board so he could write. In his right hand is a ballpoint pen.   
He stood there as he stared at the paper in concentration of   
deciding which girl is worth the beautiful night.   
  
Kodachi was also staring at the moon in her room, which is right   
above the garden. She knew her brother is below her, thinking up a new   
poem for his two beloved. She also knew to never disturb a writer at   
work so she left her brother in peace.   
  
She stared at her brother for a few moments as he pondered on   
which girl to write about. She looked up just in time to see a blur of   
shadow passing the moon on the walls of the Kuno Estate.   
  
She asked herself as her ribbon magically   
appeared in her hand. Apparently, Kuno saw the shadow as well and was   
staring at the general direction the shadow had gone.  
  
After a few seconds without sounds and movements, a cat meowed   
and then jumped on a tin garbage bin outside the estate, overthrowing   
it and making a loud racket.   
  
Kuno relaxed and loosened his hold on his pen. Kodachi also   
relaxed and her ribbon disappeared.   
  
With the recent attacks with the monster, nothing in Nerima   
seemed to be very safe. Kodachi knew very well that the Ukyou is good   
at Martial Arts. Knowing that the monster can defeat a good martial   
artist with ease, not even the wealth of the Kunos will be able to keep   
them from the attacks.  
  
Kuno was about to get back to his poem when he heard a scream.   
He dropped his pen and the paper in shock.  
  
"HELP!!" Somebody screamed. There were struggling sounds and   
they came from the gate of the Kuno estate. Kuno almost dropped from   
shock as he recognized the voice.  
  
"Sesuke!" He yelled and sprints toward where the scream had come   
from.   
  
"Master Kuno!!" Sesuke yelled and then screamed in pain as a   
pair of claws brought a huge gash on his arm. "Help!!" Kuno didn't do   
his usual speech about evil and justice. He just knocked the unknown   
attacker off of the injured Sesuke bodily.   
  
"WRRREEOOWWW!!" The attacker screeched in frustration.   
  
"Get out of here, Sesuke!!" Kuno yelled, trying to disentangle   
himself from what looked to be a monster. At that moment Kodachi   
appeared with her ribbon, dressed in her leotard.   
  
"Brother!" Kodachi yelled. "Look out!!" But it was too late,   
the claws of the creature already brought a wound to his left shoulder.   
  
"Get Sesuke out of here!!" Kuno yelled, backing away from the   
now standing cat-like creature and trying to stop the flow of blood   
from his shoulder with his right hand. "Go!" He yelled again when   
Kodachi hesitated.   
  
"Here!" Kodachi yelled, throwing something toward her brother.   
Kuno looked up in surprise and caught the thing in his right hand.   
It's his bokken.   
  
Kuno held his bokken in front of him with both hands, ignoring   
the pain of his shoulder when he tightened his hold.   
  
The cat-like creature hissed but didn't move. The creature has a   
half-human face with slitted cat eyes, sharp canine fangs, and furry   
cat ears. It seemed to be female with short black hair that have a   
faint navy highlight. Around her neck is a collar-like gold necklace   
with a oval shaped black onyx on the center. She's wearing a loose   
long-sleeved black shirt and the bottom of the sleeves was shredded. A   
solid gold cuff was around each wrist. Instead of hands, she has paws   
and sharp claws poked through the soft fur. Her loose Chinese pants   
were black and the bottom was shredded also. Around her ankles were   
two gold cuffs, just like the ones around her wrist. Like her hands,   
instead of feet, she has two paws.   
  
Kuno stared at the creature in front of him. He thought. He   
jumped back to avoid another slash of the claws and then charged toward   
the monster with his bokken held high. The creature spun around,   
raised one of her legs and caught the side of Kuno's head, like so many   
time "The Pigtailed Girl" and Akane had done.   
  
Kuno shook his head to clear away the stars as he leaned against   
the wall of the Kuno Estate. His eyes widened and then dodged just in   
time to avoid a fatal kick.   
  
Kuno rolled away, wincing as his injured shoulder pressed to the   
ground. He got up, raised his bokken high, and charged toward the   
creature. He slashed at the monster, followed by a series of shorter   
slashes, but the creature dodged them all.   
  
He thought   
desperately as he dodged a series of punches. His ongoing thoughts   
were suddenly disrupted when the creature slammed into him, knocking   
the breath out of him.   
  
He just lie there on the ground, gasping for breath, watching as   
the sharp claw slashes down toward him...  
  
"Brother!" There was a scream and something resembles a whip   
slashed out, making the creature on top of him jump back. There was   
sounds around him but he couldn't make out anything. His head was   
swimming with dizziness.   
  
After what seemed like hours, all the noises stopped and he felt   
hands on his uninjured shoulder.  
  
"Brother?" A tentative voice called out. Kuno raised his head   
to see who it is but came right back down, wincing at the pain on the   
back of his head. "Don't move. Help is coming."   
  
After that, all is darkness.  
  
  
  
"Woah, look at this." Nabiki said at the breakfast table with   
the newspaper in front of her. "Kuno's attacked last night." A   
flitting emotion of concern and fear appeared in her eyes but they   
disappeared quickly.   
  
"Kuno?" Ranma asked, surprised.  
  
"Well, actually, Kuno's servant, that guy, Sesuke, was attacked.   
Kuno got him out of the trouble." Nabiki corrected. She looked up   
from the paper in front of her and looked across the table to the   
youngest Tendo. "What do you think, Akane?"  
  
There's not a sound. Shadows covered Akane's eyes. Her head was   
bowed and she didn't even lift the chopsticks on top of her bowl of   
food. There's something unnatural about the silence that was wrapped   
around her, like the calm before the storm.   
  
"Akane?" Ranma called tentatively, almost as if she's going to   
lash at him.   
  
"Let's go, Ranma." Akane said in a calm, dark voice that could   
be heard even in the loudest room. She stood up with the grace of a   
cat. She flashed him a look...and that's when Ranma saw the cat eyes.   
  
  
  
"You have done well, Ignira."   
  
"I know you will be pleased when I planted the demon seed inside   
that girl." A pleased hiss followed those words, pleased at the fact   
that her master approved.  
  
"And now, all we need to do is to wait" The man smiled a   
menacing smile. "The beast is hungry...and when its desperate, it will   
do anything to get what it wants..." And the laugh that followed strikes   
fear into the heart of all his minions.   
  
  
  
Ranma looked down toward the silent girl worriedly. There's no   
hint of the cat eyes or the cat fang that he saw that morning. He was   
sure he saw cat eyes instead of normal human eyes. There was a glint   
in there, a dangerous glint, that he'll never forget, so long as he   
lives.   
  
Akane seemed to be normal, now. Her face is still very pale but   
there doesn't seem to be any dark circles under her eyes. Her head is   
bowed, liked the last two days, and her eyes are dull, not glittering   
like they usually are.   
  
She didn't say anything since they left the breakfast table. Her   
shoulder is hunched forward slightly, showing that she doesn't want to   
talk to anyone right now.   
  
She's thinner than before. The pale hand that was holding her   
book bag was loose and looked as if she's going to drop it any second.  
  
Under the bright morning sun, something glittered under the cuffs   
of her uniform. Ranma wondered what it is but decided not to talk to   
her right now. There's something about her right now that makes him   
reconsider about making any insults.   
  
Ranma was preoccupied by the change in his fiancée, so it took   
him totally by surprise when a bicycle landed on him. He groaned   
silently to himself when Shampoo attached herself to him again.   
  
The last thing he need is this.  
  
"Shampoo, get off!" Ranma yelled desperately, hoping to get away   
before Akane decided to separate them herself.   
  
"Ranma take Shampoo on date, yes?" Shampoo asked happily,   
clutching Ranma's arm like her life depend on it. Ranma was still   
trying to untangle himself from Shampoo when he saw the cold glint in   
Akane's eyes.   
  
And that's when he decided Neko-Hanten isn't safe for Shampoo.  
  
  
  
"Ranma, what is the meaning of this?" Soun asked dramatically as   
Shampoo bounded to Ranma from the open doorway and attached herself   
permanently to him.   
  
"My boy, you are Akane's fiancée." Genma added. "How can you   
bring another girl home?"  
  
"Yeah, Ranma." Nabiki said, annoyed and slightly angry. "How   
can you bring Shampoo home without our permission?" She raised an   
eyebrow inquiringly, asking silently what this all meant and where her   
younger sister fit in.   
  
"Ranma, does this mean that we'll have a guest for dinner?"   
Kasumi asked, a small worried look entered her eyes. "We don't have   
that much for tonight and the store is already closed. I'm afraid we   
can't have another guest tonight."  
  
"No worries." Shampoo said. "Shampoo brought food for Ranma and   
self. No need cooking for us." She turned her attention to Ranma   
again, beaming happily.   
  
"Look, Pops, Mr. Tendo, I'll explain-" he stopped, frozen in   
place, mouth suddenly dry with fear.   
  
"Well, well, well. Looks like you finally brought the hussy   
here." Akane's voice was calm, collected, and cold. "What? Are you   
afraid the beast will eat her?" She laughed. The sound sends chills   
up Ranma's spine. She stood at the top of the staircase, eyes covered   
by the shadows. A smile stretched over her lips.  
  
An evil smile.  
  
"Shampoo no hussy." Shampoo said sharply, her face turned to   
Akane, but her arms still encircled Ranma's arm. "And Shampoo can beat   
creature any day."  
  
"Oh?" Akane inquired mockingly. "Are you sure about that,   
Shampoo? You better watch out. You just might get more than you can   
eat." With those words, she disappeared back into the shadows. A few   
minutes later, the soft sound of a door closing reached the silent   
hall. The silence stretched on.  
  
"Akane want scare Shampoo, but Shampoo have Ranma." Shampoo   
said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Ranma protects   
Shampoo, right?"  
  
Ranma didn't answer, instead, looked at the place where Akane had   
been a few moments ago. Something's going to happen.   
  
Something really bad.   
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
So? Any comments? Suggestions? Or questions? Anything but flames!!   
Anyway, email me at bailuli@hotmail.com Please email me!! ^_^  
Oh, and visit my page. It's better than before, now!! 


	3. Part Three

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma 1/2 casts but I do own the fanfic. This   
fanfic is a little dark and it's serious, contain violence and blood shed. If you   
can't handle that, please do NOT read this. Also, please don't say I didn't   
warn ya! ^_^  
And now, the sizzling conclusion to Night Owl! (When I say sizzling, it   
could either mean sizzling as hot, or as burned out. You choose. ^_^)  
  
Night Owl  
Part Three  
By: Silver Star  
  
  
Ranma watched from his futon as the arms of the clock reached   
midnight, his eyes wide, half expecting something to crash into his room.   
He's wearing his blue Chinese shirt and his usual black pants. His shoes   
were on the floor, ready for him to slip in quickly. He sighed softly, looked   
back at the ceiling with his arms tucked under his head.   
  
He knew something's going to happen. The problem is, he doesn't   
know when and where. How he knew about it in the first place was a   
mystery.   
  
Shampoo is sleeping in the only other spare room in the house, one   
that was usually reserved for the students, but since there IS no student, it is   
now used as a guestroom. Cologn, fortunately, is still staying at Neko-  
hanten, to take care of the restaurant and to keep Mousse from running over   
and tried to disrupt the date, which Shampoo insisted the dinner and the   
night called.   
  
Ranma waited silently, as the arms of the clock ticked on until five   
minutes have passed. He sighed again.   
He thought. Part of him was hoping against hope that nothing is going to   
happen, and yet, another part of him wished almost to the point of obsession   
that whoever that was hurting his friends could show up so he could finally   
teach a lesson to him or her...or it.   
  
Ranma sat up abruptly. He looked over to the door of his room   
sharply, but then, he looked away from the door and let them roamed over   
the room, his trained eyes not missing a thing.   
  
What was that? Ranma frowned slightly as he tried to make out a low   
sound coming from...  
  
Akane's room.   
  
A sudden unspeakable fear grasped its strong grip over his heart.   
Could it somehow attacked Akane instead of Shampoo, as he had first   
thought? Ranma couldn't breath, couldn't move, couldn't do anything except   
listening to the low and muffled gasps that passed through the walls and into   
his ears.   
  
And suddenly, he could move again.   
  
Ranma jumped up from his futon and ran to the door, wrenching it   
open to the point that it almost fell from its hinges. His footsteps made no   
sound as he moved through the shadows to Akane's door. He put his hand   
on the doorknob and then paused, fearing what he might find on the other   
side of the door.   
  
Ranma hardened his expression, pushing down the fear that was   
surging up his throat, and flung open the door.   
  
The first thing he noticed is the window, or the lack of it, anyway.   
Shards of broken glass gleamed under the full moon light as it traveled into   
the dark room. Ranma noticed through all his confusion and fear that there   
were barely any broken glass at all. How can that be if a person shattered   
the glass to get in? Wouldn't the broken glass be inside?   
  
The answer is, no one is trying to get in; someone is trying to get   
*out*.   
  
Ranma stood there, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness that came   
from the moon. And that's when he noticed the state the room is under.   
  
The room looked as if it had been torn then put back together inside   
out. Broken pieces of jagged wood littered the floor. The desk was no   
longer a desk; in fact, the desk is no where to be seen. A closer look at the   
wood pieces on the floor proven that those were once Akane's desk.   
  
Torn pieces of what once had been Akane's favorite blanket draped   
over what was left of the mattress. The bookcase was on its side with books   
littered around it. Akane's bulletin board where she put some of her favorite   
pictures, including the one at Togenkyo, was lying on the floor. A picture of   
the Tendo family smiled up at the ceiling.   
  
Ranma took it all in with a sinking feeling. Suddenly, he caught   
something move at the corner of his eyes. He turned toward it, and finally   
realized that what he took as a ball of rolled up sheets was actually a person.   
  
Akane.  
  
"Akane!" He shouted out, wanting to hold her, to at least go over to   
her, but something held him back. Something evil.   
  
At the sound of his voice, a head snapped up, and Akane's pained and   
tearstained face stared at him. Her hair was all messed up, and a clomp of it   
draped over her left eye. Her eyes were wide, scared, and looked as though   
expecting someone or some*thing* pouncing on her as soon as she looked   
up.   
  
She opened her mouth but whatever she tried to say was interrupted   
by a deafening crash from the down the hall.  
  
"Sh-Shampoo..." She whispered, almost as she couldn't manage   
anything louder. Ranma looked down the hall to Shampoo's room, then   
turned back to Akane, a panicked expression on his face. "G-go to h-er.   
Don't wo-worry about m-e." She stopped, panting from exhaustion. She   
closed her eyes and finally caught her breath.   
  
"I-Akane, don't move. I'll be right back." Ranma gave her one last   
almost panicked look and sped down the hall toward Shampoo's room.   
Akane stared at his retreating form with hope and longing. Then, she threw   
back her head and screamed.   
  
It never reached the hall.  
  
  
  
  
Another crash shook the house.   
  
Ranma didn't know what's going on. He doesn't want to know either,   
but he had to in order to make sure his family and friends were safe.   
  
Shampoo, no matter what she had done to him, she is a friend. He   
never had any permanent friends before, not like Shampoo, Ukyo, or Ryoga,   
even though Shampoo is chasing after him and Ryoga is always racing   
around to kill him for one reason or another. Even if all of them want to   
make his life miserable, they are still his friends, and if somebody hurt his   
friends, that somebody is going to pay.  
  
Big time.  
  
And it's going to pay double if it had hurt Akane.   
  
No matter how much he tried to push her away, how much he tried   
deny it, he had developed feelings for the kawaiikunee tomboy and will   
always have those feelings, even if she is quick to conclusion and always   
misunderstanding him one way or another.   
  
Ranma stopped running when he reached the door that led to   
Shampoo's room.   
  
"What's going on, Ranma?"   
  
Ranma whipped around and saw Nabiki, looking at him with barely   
concealed fear and panic in her eyes.   
  
Nabiki is afraid. Now that's a new one.  
  
"I don't know." Ranma turned back to the door. Surprisingly, the   
door was still intact and in place. There were cracks all over the wall and   
door, but they didn't collapse from the crashes. Ranma turned the knob and   
pushed the door.  
  
It didn't budge.  
  
Ranma pushed harder against the cracked door but it still didn't move.   
By this time, the entire member of the family except Akane was present.   
  
"It's stuck." Ranma said, pushing it again, but this time, almost using   
all his strength. The door slowly opened an inch, and then another, and   
another, until there's a foot of space between the door frame and the door   
itself. Ranma give it one last push and the door gave away and collapsed.   
  
"What- what happened!?" Soun cried.   
  
The room was totally trashed. Everything that was previously inside   
the room was turned into toothpicks. There isn't anything that's larger than a   
slab of wood, and all those are piled over the door to block it. Opposite the   
door, at the place where the window is supposed to be, is a gigantic hole.   
  
Whoever had done this is powerful.  
  
*Very* powerful.  
  
"WWRRREEOOWWW!!" Everyone jumped at that inhuman scream   
that filled the night. It sounded almost like a...like a...a cat...  
  
Ranma swallowed at the scream, and then ran over to the hole.   
Below, at the front yard of the Tendo Dojo, a bloodied and battered   
Shampoo stood in a defensive position. It didn't seem to do her any good,   
though. Opposite her, a black form crouched warily, waiting for the attack   
that was sure to come.  
  
And it did.  
  
Shampoo jumped, raising her bonbori into the air. The black form   
jumped also, meeting Shampoo with a powerful kick and a punch to the   
stomach.   
  
Ranma finally got a good look at the creature and he was stunned at   
what he saw.   
  
The face was familiar, it was a face that he saw just a few minutes   
ago, a face that was filled with pain and fear, and perhaps even hope when   
those eyes met his.  
  
It was Akane's face.  
  
"No..." Ranma whispered, wanting to deny what he was seeing. All   
of a sudden, everything that had happened pieced them together and he   
finally found the answer to every question that he had asked.   
  
Why Akane was so cold to everyone, why he saw the flashes of cat   
tooth and cat eyes, why she was so pale everyday, why she never ate her   
food, those questions all have an answer now, an answer that he doesn't want   
to accept but have to.   
  
Akane is a monster.   
  
Wait. There's one thing that doesn't fit in with the answer. Why is   
Akane fighting Shampoo when she is still in her room? She couldn't have   
possibly moved fast enough with the pain that she was showing. It only   
took him a few seconds to get to Shampoo's door, and Akane couldn't have   
gotten there before him. And besides, the attack happened when he was still   
with Akane, so it couldn't be her.  
  
Can it?  
  
Everything became jumbled up again. It just doesn't make sense, now   
that he looked at everything again. Unless...  
  
Unless the creature is using Akane's face.  
  
A scream tore him away from his thoughts.   
  
Ranma jumped out just in time to catch Shampoo, who was sent   
hurtling down by the creature. He landed softly with the bleeding girl in his   
arms. Now that he's closer to her, he finally realized how deep those   
wounds are. In fact, if he hadn't caught her before she slammed into the   
ground, she could have died...  
  
With shaking hands and barely concealed of what appears to be a   
mixture of fear, hatred, anger, and sadness, he lowered Shampoo onto the   
ground gently and stood up. He turned around slowly, fixing his piercing   
gaze of hatred at the creature in front of him.  
  
And in the bright moonlight, he saw, with both relieve and fear, that   
the creature only resembles Akane, not the real her. But it also brought his   
fear of cats to surface.   
  
The creature was like a cat, stalking its prey silently, striking with   
deadly precision. Its eyes were like those of cats, flashing green in the semi-  
darkness. It crouched under the shadows, claws digging into the ground,   
ready to dodge and avoid the attacks it anticipated.  
  
Ranma swallowed, trying to push his fear of cats back, but failing   
miserably. He can't fight under this circumstances, not when he's deathly   
afraid of what the creature seemed to be. He can't even bluff it, if he does,   
he'll just freeze in fear, leaving himself open for the cat-creature.   
  
As he stared in fear at it, it seemed to smile with glee, almost as if it   
knows that he's afraid of it. And with a feral yell, it jumped.  
  
Ranma raised his arms in a desperate attempt to block, but he knew,   
with those claws, it could shred his arms, and him, into ribbons.   
  
He's going to die.  
  
He knew it; he could taste it, a bitter taste in his mouth that won't   
disappear. He failed. He failed his family, peoples that he cared beyond   
himself. Genma, Nodoka, Soun, Kasumi, Nabiki, Shampoo, Ryoga,   
Mousse, Cologne, and even Kuno, Kodachi, and Happosai. They trusted   
him, and he failed them all.   
  
And most importantly, Akane.  
  
He failed her, he was suppose to be her fiancée, the one who was   
supposed to protect her and love her. But he didn't do any of that. He   
doesn't deserve to be her fiancée.   
  
And as he watched the creature sailed toward him with the raised   
claws, he knew he won't even have a chance to say sorry.  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
WAHAHAHAHAA!!!! Surprised that this is not the end? Don't be. I   
decided while writing this to extend it to another part. Sorry to disappoint   
you! ^_^   
  
"I hate you, Ranma. Ever since you came, you made my life a living   
hell. I don't know why I ever fell in love with you. You're a liar, a liar who   
tells lies everywhere he goes. And I will kill you this night, Ranma, and   
perhaps then, this world would finally be safe."  
  
- Tendo Akane,   
Night Owl Part Four 


	4. Part Four

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma 1/2 casts but I do own the fanfic. This   
fanfic is a little dark and it's serious, contain violence and blood shed. If you   
can't handle that, please do NOT read this. Please don't say I didn't warn ya!   
^_^  
Sorry peoples, but this is NOT the last part. *Dodges angry readers* Ahem,   
anyway, like I said, this is NOT the last part. There will be one more part   
after this. If I calculate correctly, it'll be pretty short, but unless you want a   
sad ending, then you better read it. Anywayz, hope you enjoy this! I spend   
quite a bit of time on this, so you BETTER enjoy it! *waves mallet   
threateningly* Oh yeah, and no taking of this fic without permission, or I'll   
send Achan after ya! *glares at audience*  
  
Night Owl  
Part Four  
By: Silver Star  
  
  
Pain. So much pain. She cried out, wishing someone could come and   
take that pain away, but there was no one. No one but herself. No one to   
come and save her, no one to come and take the unbearable pain away, no   
one to come and love her, no one.   
  
Nothing.  
  
And a wail of anguish sounded, but it was never heard past the door.   
  
  
  
The creature stared at the male in front of her curiously. He was   
doing nothing, just standing there like a statue with both his arms up in an   
useless defensive position. There was finality to his stance, almost as if he   
expected to die the next movement.  
  
Perhaps he was, perhaps he was not, the creature did not know nor did   
she really care. The only thing she knew is that she wants this male in front   
of her. She wanted him in a way she had never wanted another male before.   
She was completely foreign to this feeling. It was same, yet different, from   
the way the insatiable hunger felt. There was a need, a want that wasn't   
there before. And this need was fully centered upon the male standing   
before her.   
  
But one thing she knew, she wanted him, and she would have him.   
  
And then, the pain came.  
  
  
  
The man stared at the scene before him with a sardonic half-smile on   
his face. He could feel the creature trying to break from his grasp, but he   
was too powerful, too skilled, to be easily taken care of. There was nothing   
the creature could do to escape, and the man knew it. And with another   
disgusted smile, he tightened his mental hand around the creature's mind.   
There was a high shriek of pain and then it fell silent into a whimpering   
heap.   
  
The man narrowed his eyes, and his smile broadened. Everything was   
according to plan. Now all he need was for the pin to drop.   
  
And when that happens, she would be his.  
  
  
  
The pain lessened until she could finally be able to bear it. She didn't   
know why that happened, but she was grateful for the break. Her body   
relaxed a fraction, and her strained pale face no longer showed pain. A   
relieved sigh escaped from her pale, trembling lips.   
  
But this is not the end, she knew.   
  
Ranma.  
  
She had to go help Ranma. Slowly she stood up, fingers clutching at   
the wall like a lifeline, legs buckling under her, threatening to give away.   
But she held on. She had to if she want to help Ranma.   
  
Ranma. Yes, she had to help Ranma. She had to.   
  
And with those thoughts, Akane Tendo slowly crawled out of the   
destroyed room.   
  
  
  
Nabiki hated being helpless.  
  
Unfortunately, this was the case, since she didn't know a thing about   
martial arts, despite the fact that she was born in a dojo. Usually this didn't   
dent her cool ulterior. She did have, after all, a brain, a brilliant brain at   
that, and she used that to fill in the gap. However, this time, she had no   
information that her brain could process, and there's also no way she could   
get any, no matter how much she tried. She hated it, but she had to admit;   
this was utterly beyond her.   
  
A sound reached her ears from behind her, but she ignored it, her full   
attention was on the scene below the hole. There was something not right.   
Her mind and instinct both said that she was missing something, and she   
learned long ago not to ignore her instinct, but she just couldn't figure out   
what.   
  
Damn. Nabiki REALLY hate to be helpless.   
  
  
  
For a long moment, there was no sound. Then a pain filled shriek   
filled the night, shocking Ranma out of the downward spiral that he was   
sinking into. His head snapped up, eyes contained a wild and almost crazed   
look, his body automatically assumed a defensive stance, the one he liked   
the most.   
  
His eyes fixed upon the quivering heap before him. The creature that   
scared him so much, it's in pain, and he had no idea why.   
  
"My, my, you are quite rude, if I do say so myself, ignoring me like   
that," an amused male voice sounded in the darkness, somewhere beyond the   
quivering heap.   
  
Ranma's eyes snapped away from the cat creature and scanned the   
surrounding area for the unknown person who spoke just a few seconds   
before. Despite his amazing ki sense, he could not detect anyone beside the   
ones he already knew are there. A loud gasp from the place where he left   
Shampoo sounded and he snapped around to see her conscious, eyes wide   
and staring at something behind the still quivering cat creature.   
  
Instinctively, Ranma probed out with his ki sense, but once again, he   
felt nothing. He let his eyes swept across the darkness beyond the cat   
creature again, but this time, instead of seeing nothing, he saw a flash of   
silver. Immediately, he focused his mind, and also his ki, upon that flash,   
and slowly, almost too slow for him, a form began to take shape.   
  
The cat creature hissed, in pain and also what seemed to be hatred, but   
Ranma was too focused upon the figure to notice, even if the sound came   
from the thing that he feared most.   
  
"Who are you," Ranma finally said, breaking the tension filled silence.   
"And what do you want here?"  
  
The man's lips tilted slightly. "Heh. Humans are so amusing, don't   
you think so my dear Ignira?" A hiss of agreement sounded behind Ranma,   
and he spun around to see a woman wearing what seems to be RIBBONS,   
carrying an unconscious Shampoo in her arms.   
  
"HEY! LET HER GO!" Ranma screamed, launching himself at the   
woman without a fore thought. The woman smiled, showing a pair of sharp   
fangs, and leapt clear of the wild attack.   
  
Ranma spun around to face the woman, who landed near where the   
man is, but didn't attack this time. He had to get himself under control. If   
you get out of control, there's no way he could defeat both of them. Slowly,   
cautiously, he shifted into a tight defensive stance that allowed no opening   
whatsoever.   
  
The man seemed to be amused, and he let out a soft chuckle. Slowly,   
he stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. Ranma stared. A   
collective gasp from the hole above and behind him confirmed what he saw.   
  
The man was extremely handsome, no; beautiful seems to be the   
better word to describe him. His eyes were the color of amethyst, and they   
gleamed under the bright moonlight. His hair was silver, and the long   
strands flowed behind the man, each strand seemed to glow. Under the dark   
cloak, he wore white silk tunic and loose black pants. The clasp of the cloak   
was bejeweled with a silver dragon entwined upon it. It was also the object   
that caught Ranma's eyes in the beginning.   
  
No matter how beautiful the man was, Ranma was not very interested.   
He just doesn't swing that way. Besides, he already got a girl that he lo-   
liked.   
  
The man bowed mockingly from the waist and smiled, flawless white   
teeth flashing. Ranma tensed. "I am Reilion. I have a business proposition   
for you, Ranma Saotome. I do not wish for trouble if I can help it." Ranma   
remembered the flash of the teeth, and decided to discard that last sentence.   
This Reilion definitely does wish for trouble. Of that, he was positive.  
  
"Oh? Is that so," he replied, fighting to keep his voice casual. His   
stance had loosened into his usual fighting stance as he gained his control   
back once again. To his observers, he was standing casually as if he was   
doing nothing except chatting with some old friends.   
  
He would not allow this man to see his fear and weakness. He is   
going to protect his family and friends, even if it's going to kill him. He   
smiled grimly to himself at the last line. It seems like his promise just might   
be tested this night.   
  
Reilion smiled again, a nasty looking smile that contained excitement   
and greed. A greed for what, Ranma did not know, but he took a good guess   
and that guess was power. Unfortunately, he was right. "You see," the   
silver-haired man started, gesturing to the limp form of Shampoo still in the   
arms of the woman, "I have a need for this young woman here. She has a   
power that was almost unseen of. And I want it."   
  
Above, in the ruined guestroom, Nabiki frowned as Reilion's words   
drifted to her ears. She was surprised that he said the truth, and it was   
indeed the truth that he said. Unless, of course, he knew he can't loose...   
Nabiki's frown deepened. Damn. This is not good.   
  
Ranma was not a businessman, like Nabiki. He lacks both cunning   
and finesse, and without those two, he is like a baby against a seasoned   
warrior in a business deal. However, while he lacks in brains, he fills in   
with his Martial Arts. While he could not think up tricks, he could use   
different techniques to deceive his opponent. And one of those techniques is   
called Soul of Ice. He can't keep a poker face, he knew that, but the Soul of   
Ice helped to keep him calm and controlled, and with that control, he could   
keep himself from betraying his emotions to his enemy.   
  
"I see," he replied calmly, coldly. Inside, he was quivering with rage   
and fear. "And what if I say no?"  
  
Reilion grinned, obviously been waiting for this. "Well, there is this   
little pretty thing here," he said, gesturing to the cat creature, who is still   
sprawled across the ground. The cat creature raised its head and glared at   
Reilion with hatred and pain, while Ranma stared at it. "I know you are in   
love with this girl, Saotome, or at least have some feelings for her." Reilion   
turned back to Ranma and his eyes narrowed. His lips quirked a millimeter.   
"I control her right now. If you don't let me have that girl," he raised his   
left hand and gestured at the limp form of Shampoo, "I will kill her."   
Suddenly, the smirk turned into a full-blown smile. "Or better yet, I could   
order her to kill you. It will be so amusing to see you kill the one you   
loved."   
  
Ranma clenched his teeth, wanting to kill the bastard, but not daring   
to at the same time. He knew he couldn't let Reilion have Shampoo. But   
that cat creature...it looked so much like Akane. And besides, how could he   
know that isn't the real Akane?   
  
And suddenly, he remembered. He knew this is not the real Akane,   
because he saw her in her trashed room. And there's no way she could've   
gotten here before him, so the cat creature HAD to be an imposter. The   
more he thought about it, the more it made sense. he realized, hands balling into fists. With clenched   
teeth, Ranma dove toward Shampoo and the woman whom Reilion had   
called Ignira. Somewhere, from the back of his mind, he hoped he had not   
made a mistake.  
  
And then, a wail of anguish sounded.  
  
  
  
Akane could feel her heart breaking as she watched the man she loved   
dove to safe another woman. She stood within the doorframe, shoulders   
slumped, pale hands clutched at the wood of the framing like a lifeline, eyes   
filled with pain and anguish. She knew that it isn't his fault, that he had to   
keep Shampoo away from the silver-haired man, but she could still feel the   
pain of his rejection. Less than twenty feet away, directly in front of her,   
the cat creature raised it's head and screeched.  
  
"Akane!"   
  
She could not see her sister whom the shout had came from, nor could   
she see anything at all. Tears obscured her vision, falling endlessly from her   
eyes in a blurry trail. One, two, then three drops of the salty crystal water   
fell upon the dirt; three evidences of the anguish she felt that could not be   
described.   
  
And then, there were no more tears. She felt light as a feather and she   
realized with numb surprise that she was floating within a great bubble of   
light. She did not hear the scream of surprise from her sisters and her father,   
nor did she hear the fearful cry from her fiancée. Her full attention was   
fixed upon the black heap less than twenty feet before her.   
  
Her legs moved in a walking motion and the bubble followed her   
command, floating forward toward her destination. The cat creature had   
stopped screaming and was now staring at the approaching bubble of light   
with both anticipation and fear. There was less than ten feet between Akane   
and the cat creature now, but neither of them started to back off. Soon there   
was only three feet separates them, then two, then one, then there was   
nothing between them. The bubble of light began to increase in size,   
enfolding the cat creature within its brightness.   
  
Ranma watched in horror and fascination as Akane began to sink into   
the cat creature's body. Along with Akane went the bright bubble of light,   
and for a moment, the cat creature's body was glowing so brightly that he   
had to look away.   
  
When he finally looked back, he had the horrifying thought that the   
cat creature had somehow kidnapped Akane. Then, he saw a dark lump   
beginning to rise from the ground, forming slowing into a human shape.   
And as the head of the shape began to rise, Ranma saw the glowing eyes of   
Akane Tendo.   
  
  
  
  
  
/Come to me, my dear.../  
  
The voice was soft, masculine, beautiful, and Akane hated that voice   
more than anything in the world. She could picture him now, standing with   
a smug and arrogant look on his beautiful face, amethyst eyes shining greed   
and lust, silver hair swirling around him like writhing tentacles, reaching for   
her and clawing at her with viciousness that could make Kodachi seem like a   
child.   
  
she screamed back with all her might, trying to break away.   
  
/Don't be afraid, trust me.../  
  
  
  
/So? What does that matter?/  
  
  
  
/But I can give you power./  
  
I don't care!  
  
/I can make you the most powerful person in the world. Don't you   
want to be better than Ranma, Akane? Don't you always wish to be better   
than him?/  
  
she replied uncertainly. She hated the person   
that is talking to her right now, but his offer tempted her a great deal. She   
wanted power, she wanted control, and she wanted to be able to protect her   
family when trouble comes. For a long time, she was the best at Nerima, no   
one could defeat her, and for the moment, she was satisfied.   
  
But then, Ranma came along with his entourage of trouble, and Akane   
Tendo was reduced to a mere prize, given to whomever that won the battle.   
She hated to be defenseless like that, and all her old fears and doubts came   
back. That was why she always bashed Ranma like that, to convince herself   
that she could beat the unbeatable Ranma Saotome, even though those   
mallet bashing were nothing to him compare to some of the injuries he   
endured.   
  
She hated him, for making her doubt herself like that, for making her   
fear again. But she also loved him, for protecting her and her family, for   
pushing back her fears of being hurt and reassuring her that he would always   
be there to rescue her.   
  
Deep down, buried under her fears and doubts, she knew that she   
could never touch him if he hadn't allowed her to. But she continued to fool   
herself into thinking that she was better than him and continued to beat him   
everyday like a punching bag. She took him for granted, but she didn't care.   
  
Everyday was like a routine; Ranma would insult her and she would   
get angry at him for bringing up her fears. Then she would bash him into   
next week, and her doubts and fears were satisfied that if she could do that to   
the unbeatable Ranma Saotome, then she could take on anyone. For a while,   
it was enough.  
  
And then, her illusions were shattered by the arrival of Shampoo and   
Ukyou. Both of them were better at Martial Arts. Both of them were more   
beautiful than her. Both of them were better cooks, and both would be better   
as a wife for Ranma. She just could not compete. For the first time since   
the two Saotomes' arrival, Akane entertained the idea of Ranma leaving her   
for someone else.   
  
She couldn't take that, especially with her fears of not being able to   
protect her family, so she took it out on Ranma, bashing him each day more   
times than five days combined. Their lives continued to go that way, and   
after a while, she got used to it, and the fears receded slightly. She had just   
starting to feel comfortable in her role in life again when her illusion was   
once again shattered.   
  
She had been kidnapped.  
  
It was something she had not wanted to endure more than once, but it   
happened again and again after that. She did not know how she had even   
managed to live through those times with her sanity intact, but she had   
survived it.   
  
After all those things that happened to her, she finally admitted to   
herself that she wasn't as good as she had thought. After the confession, her   
life had become a little better. The battles waged on still, and the constant   
competition for Ranma's affection never stopped, but Akane had finally   
began to accept what was happening. Her old life had been gone for a long   
time, and she needed to move on, for her family if not for herself. And   
finally, she began to accept Ranma into her life.   
  
Through all that, she managed to hold on to one hope; Ranma would   
always save her, no matter what.  
  
But now, that hope, that dream, was shattered. Ranma didn't try to   
save her, but decided to save Shampoo instead. There will be no one to save   
her and her family anymore. Could she take that?  
  
But...Reilion had offered her power. If she had power she could be   
powerful, perhaps even more powerful than Ranma. She could finally be   
able to protect herself and her family. But could she take Reilion's offer?   
Could she receive help from the person she hated the most?  
  
(Akane...)  
  
The voice was soft, feminine, and oddly comforting. It was   
a beautiful voice, filled with love that was often missing in Akane's life. The   
warmth within the voice spread through her body, warming her almost   
frozen limbs.   
  
(Akane, my beautiful daughter...)  
  
Akane realized with a start. With that realization, she   
remembered where she had heard that voice before. It was a hazy memory,   
she was only 5 years old, and she was cradled within her mother's arms. Her   
mother was singing a beautiful song, a lullaby that always seemed to be able   
to make her go to sleep while others could not.   
  
(Yes, Akane...it's certainly been a long time, hadn't it? I'm glad you   
had not yet forgotten me.)  
  
I can never forget you! How can you say that?!  
  
Her mother did not answer, but a warm chuckle sounded. (My dear,   
dear Akane... May I ask you something?)  
  
  
  
(Do you want your Ranma to die?)  
  
the question was not what Akane had expected, and it   
certainly showed in her voice.  
  
(Do you truly believe that Reilion will offer you power for free?   
After you receive his power, he will surely command you to kill Ranma.   
Can you kill him? Can you, my daughter?)  
  
Akane was silent. Her mother was right, Reilion wouldn't just give   
her power with nothing in return. So could she kill Ranma?   
  
/Don't listen to her, my dear,/ Reilion's voice sounded. /She is not me.   
She could not know what I want./  
  
(But I know you well enough, Reilion. I know you well enough...)  
  
Akane hesitated, torn between the two choices she was given. Could   
she kill Ranma?   
  
she realized, I couldn't kill Ranma. I lo- I care for him too   
much. And I need him. He has been in my life for too long, too long for me   
just to kill him in cold blood.   
  
/But my dear, if you have power, you can protect your family AND   
him. He'll never leave you, ever again./  
  
(Do you love him?)   
  
  
  
(Do you love him?) her mother repeated patiently.  
  
  
  
/And he's leaving you to save another woman,/ Reilion's voice rang   
out. /But with the power I give you, you can make him stay with you   
forever!/  
  
(If you truly love him, does it matter if he stays with you or not, as   
long as he is happy?) Images flashed within Akane's mind, of Ranma with   
Shampoo, or Ranma with Ukyou. Could she take that? Could she just let   
Ranma go?   
  
If you truly loves him, does it matter if he stays with you or not, as   
long as he is happy?  
  
...As long as he is happy?  
  
...he is happy?  
  
  
Akane realized.   
  
/Damn you all!/ Reilion's voice screamed, and Akane felt his presence   
disappeared from her mind.   
  
At that exact moment, she felt power filling her, powers she had never   
imagined existed, flowing through her body like a tidal wave. It filled the   
very core of her being. She felt light as a feather as the wind carried her   
along its course.   
  
  
  
(This is your power, Akane.)  
  
  
  
(Yes, your power. It is the power within your blood, the blood of the   
Priestess.)  
  
  
  
(Only the one who has the power of the Priestess had the chance of   
ever hoping to vanquish someone as powerful as Reilion.)   
  
  
  
(There are others, but very few, who had the power of the Priestess.)   
Images flashed through Akane's mind; a girl who looked surprisingly like   
her with a half-demon for a companion. A redhead around the age of 11 or   
12 who loves water. A black haired girl who sprouts justice speech   
wherever she goes. And a short brown haired girl with glasses in love with a   
boy who only cares about treasure hunting. (But we do not have the time to   
seek them. It is up to you, Akane, to destroy Reilion.)   
  
  
  
(I will not lie to you, my daughter. Reilion is one of the most   
powerful demon lords, and you may very well die in this battle. Will you   
still do it?)   
  
  
  
(I am so very proud of you, Akane. I am honored to call you my   
daughter.)  
  
  
  
(Yes, but please make it quick. We are running out of time.)  
  
In the physical world, Akane raised her head and opened   
her glowing eyes.  
  
  
  
Reilion screamed in his mind, as his astral body   
was thrown out of Akane's mind. His carefully thought-out plans were   
unraveled right in front of his eyes, all because of one mistake, one   
underestimation of a girl he had thought was harmless. He never thought the   
girl was so powerful, that she was one of those girls who had the blood of   
the Priestess flowing through her veins. And now he had to pay for his   
mistake.  
  
And with one more enraged curse, Reilion prepared for a battle that   
could take his life.   
  
  
  
Ignira narrowed her eyes, and hissed in shock as she felt the power   
radiate from Akane. The power sears like fire for demons, and she is no   
exception, even though she had the protection of her lord, Reilion.   
  
Ignira might be loyal to her master, but she is not stupid. She knew   
when it's a battle they couldn't win, especially if what they are going against   
is one of the Priestess blood. Her master might be able to take on the ones   
of the Priestess blood, but she knew she could not. She couldn't think of   
even helping, because of her demon heritage, she would either be torn apart   
by the power or burned to ashes. She couldn't do anything to prevent that.  
  
She was helpless.  
  
/Ignira./  
  
she stammered, not used to her lord's voice within her   
mind. He had never done that before, even though all high lords know how   
to talk mentally, and she had always thought he couldn't.  
  
/Ignira, go./ The voice was beautiful and haunting as usual, if not   
more so within her mind, but it was tainted with anger, fear, and strain.   
  
  
  
/I said GO!/ she shrank back as she felt the full blow of her lord's   
anger. /Listen to me Ignira, I might not be able to survive this battle. If I   
am still alive after this, then I need someone I can completely trust, and the   
only one I trust that much is you. And if I don't survive, then I want   
revenge./  
  
  
  
/Do you hear me, Ignira? I want the little bitch to pay dearly for this./  
  
  
  
/Good. Now go./  
  
I will see you again, my lord. Ignira smiled slightly at the form of   
the beautiful man and without another word, disappeared without a trace.   
  
  
  
One minute Ranma was standing staring at the glowing eyes of   
Akane, the next, he was standing in some kind of plane. The ground and the   
sky were the same shade of gray and with his bright red shirt and black   
pants, he stood out like a sore thumb.   
  
"Ranma..." He spun around when he heard his name and saw Akane   
standing behind him with a soft smile on her face. She looked absolutely   
beautiful as usual, and there was some kind of light surrounding her, making   
her look like some kind of divine being.   
  
She was wearing what appeared to be the exact replica of what the cat   
creature was wearing earlier. The black Chinese silk shirt hugged her torso,   
telling him that she is definitely a female. A pair of black silk pants, like   
his own, encased her long legs, and her delicate looking feet were adorned by a   
pair of black tai chi shoes. Her arms were bare, and that's when he realized   
that the gold cuffs were gone. Around her wrists was a pair of black wrist   
guards. On her right wrist guard was a design of a long Chinese dragon   
entwined around the dark cloth, stitched in silver thread. On her other wrist   
was a design of a phoenix, stitched in gold. She had on ankle guard as well,   
the only difference is that the dragon is on her left ankle and the phoenix is   
on her right. Around her throat was a black choker with the design of both   
the phoenix and the dragon, one in silver one in gold. Hanging from the   
choker is a single teardrop shaped gem and it pulsed the seven colors of the   
rainbow.   
  
"Akane..." he whispered unconsciously, drinking in the sight of her   
like a hungry man. His eyes suddenly widened. "AKANE!!" He tried to go   
to her, to touch her so he could be sure that she is alright, but something   
stopped his hand inches from her.   
  
"Don't worry, Ranma, I'm fine," she said, reading his mind. She   
smiled again and Ranma felt his worries melt, along with his heart.   
  
"Akane, what's going on? Where are we? And how-"  
  
Akane held up a hand and cut off Ranma before he could finish his   
sentence. "We are in the Astral Plane right now, the plane of the spirits.   
And as for how, well, I brought you here..." she took a deep breath,   
knowing all too well that he will not like what she is about to say. "I   
brought you here so I can say goodbye."  
  
Ranma stared at her stupidly for a second, not comprehending what   
she had said. Then the words sank in. "WHAT?!?!" He tried to grab her, to   
demand where she is going, and why, but once again, the invisible barrier   
stopped him.   
  
"Ranma, please listen to me," she said softly, refusing to look at the   
boy, no, man, in front of her. She took a deep breath and began to tell   
Ranma about her heritage.   
  
"No way! You can't take on that guy alone, Akane, even if you are   
one of the Priestess blood, or whatever you call yourself," Ranma yelled   
when the last of the words came out of her mouth. "I won't let you!"  
  
Akane's head snapped up, and fire flickered within her brown eyes.   
"Dammit, didn't you hear me, Ranma?! You can't beat Reilion, no matter   
how powerful or good you are! I'm the only who can do this, because I am   
the only one here with the blood of the first Priestess flowing through my   
veins! And even then, I just might *DIE*!!!!"   
  
Ranma froze. After a few minutes of frozen silence between them,   
Ranma raised both of his hands and grabbed her shoulder. He was faintly   
surprised to realize that there was nothing to stop him like before.  
  
"What do you mean you just might die?" he grounded out between his   
clenched teeth.   
  
Akane's head was bowed and her bangs covered her eyes. "I'm sorry,   
Ranma. There is no other option." As she said that, something began to   
force Ranma's hands off of her shoulder.   
  
Ranma gasped sharply as Akane's form began to fade, and with a start,   
he realized he was fading also.   
  
"I'm going to take Reilion to the spirit plane so our battle will not hurt   
anyone. Please don't try to stop me, Ranma." She raised her head and   
smiled through the tears that gathered within her eyes. She brought Ranma's   
head closer then closed her eyes and kissed him fully on the lips.   
  
Ranma started as he felt her lips on his. It felt so real, and with a   
sinking heart, he realized that it was not a dream.  
  
Akane broke away and smiled again at him. "I love you, Ranma. I   
just wish I could tell you earlier." And then, she was gone.   
  
  
  
  
  
Ranma blinked once then immediately began to look for Akane, but   
she was nowhere to be found.   
  
She was gone.  
  
"Akane...no..." he whispered brokenly and fell to his knees. She's   
gone...she's gone and he had no way to get her back. And he never told her   
that he...loves her. He laughed bitterly at the word. It came so easily now,   
but she will never get to hear them. She didn't even know and now she's   
gone. Gone forever.   
  
"No..." he whispered again, voice filled with pain and anguish.   
"Akane...don't go..."  
  
And then the tears fell.   
  
  
  
The plane of the spirits, or astral plane as some people calls it, is a   
place where neither darkness nor light reigns. It is a neutral place with the   
color of gray.   
  
Akane let her eyes swept across the endless gray before her, and then   
landed upon the white figure surrounded by a dark aura.   
  
Reilion.  
  
She knew without even seeing his features; his aura gave him away   
easily. On the contrary, her aura was of the light, with a taint of the   
grayness of the astral plane within them.   
  
She is of the Priestess blood, and she has powers, yes, but no matter   
how much raw power she has now, they are raw powers. She couldn't   
control them that well; she was too new in the business. But Reilion was   
not. He knew his powers. He knew his limits, and with his knowledge, he   
could easily win the battle.   
  
Which was the reason she brought him to the astral plane. Those with   
the true Priestess blood are not fully of the Light, nor are they of the   
Darkness. They are the neutral powers between the Light and the Darkness,   
and because of this, the astral plane makes their powers stronger simply   
because the astral plane is neutral also.   
  
Within the astral plane, Akane's powers intensified while the dark   
powers of Reilion decreased. This is her domain, and while she was within   
this world, she had a better chance of winning.  
  
Of course, she could loose, too. If she used small amount of her   
powers to hit him, like small ki induced blasts; she might not be able to wear   
him out, especially with his experience. More likely, it'll wear HER out, and   
when that happens, all would be lost.   
  
I have to take him down with one big blast, she realized. A single   
bead of sweat ran down from her forehead to her cheeks, but she ignored it,   
knowing that if she took her eyes off of Reilion for one second, he would   
strike.   
  
"You're not going to win, Akane Tendo," Reilion's voice sounded   
within the vast nothingness. Akane gritted her teeth as she heard the   
beautiful voice. A superior smirk appeared, and she wanted nothing more   
than to wipe that stupid smirk off of his beautiful face.   
  
"Oh? Is that so?" Akane replied, fighting to keep the anger, hatred,   
and fear out of her voice. "This is my realm, Reilion, and my powers are   
superior over yours while you are within my domain." As she said those   
words, she began to gather the power within her, from her head, from her   
arms, from her torso, from her legs, everywhere. She let the power gather at   
her chest, and she used her arms to shield it, preventing Reilion from   
discovering what she is about to do.  
  
"But I had more experience than you ever did. I'm sure I can think of   
something," he replied. His right hand raised and a small ball of crackling   
black electricity began to grow.   
  
Akane gritted her teeth and fought against the urge of running over   
and pounds him to the ground with her mallet. She hated him. She hated   
him so much that she even wanted to kill him, to tear him apart, to inflict   
upon him the pain he inflicted upon others.   
  
*(But I know you well enough, Reilion. I know you well enough...)*   
her mother's words echoed within her mind. She wondered what Reilion   
had done to her mother, trying to distract herself from the thoughts of killing   
him.  
  
But that just fueled her anger, knowing that the man standing before   
her had caused her mother pain. He had caused HER pain, not just   
physically, but mentally as well. He had planted that demon seed within her,   
tearing her soul into two; one human and one demon. It had hurt; it had hurt   
so much that she had even entertained the idea of killing herself so she   
wouldn't be able to feel that pain anymore. He had made her want to do   
something that would have hurt her family and the people she loved.   
  
She won't let him get away. There's no way she'll let him go without   
the proper punishment for what he had done. She is, after all, one of the   
Priestess blood, and she have the power to punish those who she judged as   
unfit to live.   
  
Slowly, with clenched teeth, she drew upon the powers of her blood   
from every inch of her body. She felt her arms starting to strain as the   
strength drained from them, and she let them fell to her side, no longer care   
of Reilion saw what is doing anymore.  
  
At the sight of the glowing ball of light gathering at her chest,   
Reilion's now pitiful looking black electricity disappeared as his face paled   
in shock and fear.   
  
Akane bared his teeth in a parody of a grin as she saw the fear within   
his eyes. She let the rage, the hate, the fear, and the uncertainty roll off of   
her in great waves and then collected them into her ball of power. Emotions   
are some of the greatest source of power, as she had found out quite a while   
ago when she was attacked by every single male within Furinken High.   
  
As she let her senses extend; she saw the fear that rolled off of   
Reilion. She was surprised that the great Demon Lord, Reilion, could be   
scared of anything, but she was also glad and relieved. Glad because he is   
getting some of the things he had done back; relieved because she now   
knows she stood a chance against him.   
  
She brought Reilion's fear into her energy ball also, and she fought to   
keep down the bile that threatened to rise to her throat as she "touched" the   
disgusting emotion coming from the person she hated the most.   
  
She could feel the ball growing as she gathered the power within her,   
and a single tear escaped from her eyes, dropping into the glowing ball of   
power.   
  
She felt surprisingly calm, almost as if she was detached from her   
body, watching herself gathering powers into the rapidly growing ball of   
light. More tears fell, but she was too numb to care. She felt so tired, her   
body felt as if it is about to collapse. Despite her weariness, her voice rang   
clear and sliced through the air like a blade.  
  
"I am of the Priestess,  
Her essence flows through me,  
Her powers fills me,  
Her voice is mine,  
Her dreams comes true through me,  
I am her, she is me,   
I am the Judge. I am the Punisher.   
My voice is power, my words are rules.  
And with this, I now take what is rightfully mine!"   
  
With all the hatred that fills her, with all the rage that threatens to   
consume her, Akane Tendo throws the ball of power at Reilion.   
  
There was nothing at first, just a bright ball of light moving rapidly   
toward the shocked and pale Reilion. And then, a blinding light filled the   
gray space, until there was no gray that could be seen at all, and white hot   
pain filled her, ripping her apart from the inside, inch by inch.   
  
A scream sounded, and it took a moment for her to realize that she   
was the one screaming. The pain intensified, and for a detached moment,   
she wondered if her blast had backfired, and came back to killed her instead   
of Reilion.   
  
But before she could worry, the pain became too much, and the   
blissful darkness came.   
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
First of all, I'd like to thank MWhalK (MWaleK@aol.com) for prereading   
this for me (and also correct my grammer mistakes) and offering me ideas   
on what I should do. Thank you very much, MWhaleK!! ^_^  
  
Well, I hoped you all enjoyed this part! In the beginning, I planned to cut it   
off at the part where Akane disappeared and Ranma was crying, but I   
decided not to and give you the extra parts, mostly to make up for lying to   
you guys last time. The next part will be the last part (I promise this   
time!!!). It's gonna be pretty short, because I put about 20% of part five in   
this part. At the end of the last part will be a few short paragraphs that   
allows me an opening for the sequel, "Twilight Dreams" which continues   
into Ignira's revenge for her Master.   
  
About the other of the Priestess blood, if you haven't guess who they are, I'm   
telling you now.  
  
The girl who looked like Akane with a half-demon for companion: Kagome   
from the newest hit series by our favorite Rumiko Takahashi-sama, "Inu-  
Yasha". And the half-demon is none other than Inu-Yasha, our favorite half   
dog-demon! ^_^  
  
A redhead around the age of 11 or 12 who loves water: Misty (or Kasumi if   
you're talking about the Japanese version) from Pokemon! She's another one   
of my favorite female characters in the world of Anime, and the ONLY   
female character that made it to the -sama category in Pokemon.  
  
A black haired girl who sprouts justice speech wherever she goes: Amelia   
from Slayers! She's the youngest princess of Sailoon, and also the heir to   
the city's throne. She had an older sister, but the series never told what us   
really happened. She worships her father, Prince Phil, and is a justice freak.   
  
A short-brown haired girl with glasses in love with a boy who only cares   
about treasure hunting: this one you might not know too well. Her name is   
Mari and she's from the not very well known series, "Princess Rane". The   
series is HILARIOUS, and unfortunately, only the first volume of the series   
was ever English subtitled and made it to US. She likes her best friend Go,   
but he's too into treasure hunting to notice. One of her father's assistants   
Takuma Senzuin (I think) is madly in love with her, and he also talks in   
gibberish (Seriously, I'm not kidding!!). It's a really funny series, and if you   
find it in a store, make sure you rent it or buy it, I assure you, you won't be   
disappointed! ^_^  
  
And of course, if you have any questions, comments, and all that stuff, send   
'em to bailuli@hotmail.com All flames will be pounded out by Achan and   
her trusty mallet!  
And don't forget to visit my Ranma 1/2 fanfic page, Ryuuzaki no Arashi! If   
you don't wanna read my fanfics, at least take a look at the graphics on my   
page? I made 'em and I'm darn proud of 'em! ^_^ Anywayz, here's the   
address:  
  
Ryuuzaki no Arashi  
Storm of the Dragon Blossom  
http://www.angelfire.com/anime/kei/ 


	5. Part Five

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma 1/2 casts but I do own the fanfic. This   
fanfic is a little dark and it's serious, contain violence and blood shed. If you   
can't handle that, please do NOT read this. Please don't say I didn't warn ya!   
^_^  
Okay, peoples, this is it, the last part of Night Owl! I hope you all will enjoy   
this! ^_^   
  
Night Owl  
Part Five  
By: Silver Star  
  
  
  
Nabiki Tendo stood at the edge of the hole, eyes unblinking, frozen in   
shock. Her sister, her little sister whom she vowed to protect a long time   
ago, was gone. Disappeared right before her eyes. And she couldn't do a   
damn thing about it.  
  
Sounds came from behind her. The unmistakable wail sounded,   
breaking her out of the shocked state she was in.  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAA!! MY LITTLE GIRL IS GONE!!!!" Soun   
wailed, fat teardrops raining down upon the debris littered floor.   
  
Nabiki spun around, her face contorted in anger and self-hatred.   
Anger because her little sister's gone, and self-hatred because she couldn't   
stop it. "SHUT UP!!" she screamed, cold eyes filled with pain and rage met   
those of her father's. "Just shut up, Daddy! Your wailing won't bring Akane   
back! For once, can't you do something OTHER than just cry about it!"   
  
Soun Tendo was never scared of his middle daughter. Kasumi, yes   
because she seemed more as the head of the household than him, and Akane   
because she knows Martial Arts, and can actually give him a good beating   
even though he's her elder. He was never afraid of his middle daughter,   
because she rarely have any authorities within this house, though to tell the   
truth, she was really the one who held the house together with her mercenary   
ways.   
  
But this time, he was truly scared.   
  
Kasumi stood behind Genma and Soun. Her eyes were empty of life,   
but she didn't seem to be in shock. Soun's eyes met those of his eldest   
daughter's and with a start, he realized that Nabiki was right. His wailing   
won't solve anything, except bring more trouble, and that was the last thing   
they need.   
  
Nabiki turned her gaze to the slightly cowering man in a white gi and   
glasses. "And you! It's all your fault!" she screamed, pointing at Genma.   
"Trouble follows you Saotome's EVERYWHERE YOU GO! If you weren't   
here, then my little sister would be safely sleeping in her room! Damn you,   
Saotome! Damn you!" She ran out of the destroyed room and sped down   
the stairs to the yard.   
  
she chanted   
almost feverishly within her mind.   
  
Difficult to believe as it is, Nabiki Tendo truly loved her family, and   
despite all that she had done in the past 2 years, she never meant to hurt her   
little sister.   
  
She had never told anyone this, but she was responsible for their   
mother's death. Indirectly, perhaps, but she was responsible all the same. If   
only she hadn't made her mother go buy that dress for her! Then she   
wouldn't be on that bus, and when that bus crashed, her mother wouldn't   
have died!   
  
It was her fault. It was all her fault, yet, she never told anyone. The   
guilt had been eating her up from the inside for years. She tried to help   
when her older sister began to take over the job of their mother, but she   
wasn't cut out to be a housewife. She felt so guilty. She wanted to help, she   
wanted to make up for what she had done, but she can never do anything   
right, no matter how hard she tried.   
  
She couldn't help her older sister, but her younger sister was a   
different matter. Nabiki was 7 when she made the promise, that she will   
protect Akane, no matter what.   
  
As the years went by, Akane became more and more beautiful with a   
startling resemblance to their mother. It was only expected that she attracted   
so many admirers when she gets into High School. Nabiki was jealous, yes,   
but she never did forget her promise.   
  
When Kuno began to chase Akane, Nabiki starts to sell pictures of her   
younger sister smashing bricks to him. It was the only way she knew to earn   
money and help her family. After their mother died, Soun stopped teaching,   
and the family savings dwindled to nearly nothing. She knew Akane would   
probably be furious, furious and embarrassed, but she made sure that it   
wouldn't hurt her.   
  
When Kuno made that idiotic speech, Nabiki couldn't have been more   
furious in her life. Her DARE that idiot made a claim like that!! Especially   
if it's about Akane! She wouldn't let him, so she set out to make his life at   
Furinkan High as miserable as possible.   
  
It worked. Well, sort of. The attacks did start, and no one ever did   
backed down, even in the face of being put into the hospital every morning.   
However, she also did make Kuno's life miserable. She fed him wrong   
information and twist them in ways that Kuno's simple mind could never   
grasp. It wasn't long before he was so confused that he became an even   
worse idiot than before.   
  
Tatewaki Kuno, the "Shooting Star" of Furinkan High, became the   
laughing stock of the whole school.   
  
Nabiki also tried to stop the morning battles, but soon she realized that   
it's actually good for her little sister. Infuriating, yes, but the morning   
battles actually allows Akane to let out her frustration and anger, not to   
mention going against the male population of Furinkan High gave her quite a   
decent workout.   
  
For a while, everything is just as it should be. Then, the two   
SAOTOMES came along, and their lives were torn up, turned upside down,   
then put back together with pieces missing.   
  
Nabiki thought   
bitterly.   
  
Nabiki didn't want to push Ranma onto Akane, but there's really no   
other choice. She can't push someone like Ranma onto Kasumi; she had   
already done too much for the family as it is. As for herself, well, ever since   
that first scream from Akane about a 'pervert' in the bathroom, she had   
developed an almost kind of hate for Ranma. Not just for disrupting their   
lives without a forewarning, but also because of all the trouble that followed   
him. Trouble that somehow always endangered Akane's life.   
  
It was really an act of desperation, now that she thought about it. She   
was desperate to not get engaged to someone like Ranma, so she did what   
her instinct told her, which was to push Ranma onto Akane.   
  
Her taking pictures of Ranma in girl form and then selling them to   
Kuno was almost like revenge. Revenge for disrupting her life, revenge for   
freeloading her family and further thinning their income, and revenge for   
always hurting or endangering Akane's life.   
  
Nabiki's hate did lessen each time Ranma risked his life for Akane,   
but she held onto the cold mask of indifference. After all, can't let anyone   
know that "The Ice Queen" is melting now, can we?   
  
But the cracked and rapidly melting Mask of Ice was freezing into a   
whole once again. How can Ranma let Akane just disappear like that? It's   
his fault. It's gotta be. Everything was his fault before, so why not blame   
this on him, too? It's not gonna make too much difference now anyway;   
Akane was gone.  
  
With a broken sob, she burst out onto the moonlit yard. Ranma's head   
raised, and for a split second, their eyes met. Nabiki saw the pain and the   
self-hatred, emotions so much like the ones she was feeling now. And she   
understood in her heart if not in her mind, that Ranma will do anything, even   
giving up his life, for Akane to be back alive and well again.   
  
And then, the spell was broken. Nabiki's eyes widened as Ranma's   
eyes closed and his body slumped forward. A bright flash of light filled her   
vision, and she stumbled back, eyes closed against the piercing attack, arms   
up in an attempt at blocking the hurtful rays.   
  
When she opened her eyes again, Ranma Saotome was no where to be   
found.  
  
  
  
/The Past.../   
  
"Huh? What?" Ranma asked, looking around in confusion, yet, seeing   
nothing. The voice was just there. Then, images appeared and Ranma was   
silenced.   
  
~ "It's another girl, Tendo-san," the midwife said, smiling widely as   
she handed the small bundle to the tiredly looking and sweat covered woman   
half sitting, half laying on the bed. "Another beautiful little girl. You must   
very so very proud to have three such beautiful daughters. ~  
  
~ Hiroko Tendo smiled softly, holding the bundle close to her. "Yes,   
I am very proud to be the mother of these three girls," she said, smiling   
down at the chubby face of her third daughter. Yet, a trace of sadness could   
be seen in her eyes. ~  
  
~ "Would you like me to call your husband in?" the midwife asked,   
slightly confused by the sadness, yet unwilling to nose into someone else's   
business. ~  
  
~ "Yes, please," Hiroko replied, looking up from the child she had   
just given birth to. ~  
  
~ The midwife opened the door to the room and walked out. A man   
with shoulder length black hair stopped pacing in the other room and looked   
up, excitement could be seen clearly on his face. ~  
  
~ "How is she? Hiroko, I mean, and the child, too. Are they alright?   
Is it a girl or a boy? Can I see them?" the man asked anxiously. The   
midwife smiled to herself in amusement. It never failed to amaze her how   
some man can be so excited by the prospect of having a child. A three years   
old little girl stood by the man's legs, peering up in curiosity at all the   
excitement. A one year-old baby suddenly cried out in her cradle. ~  
  
~ "Tendo-san, please calm down. Your wife is fine, and so is your   
new daughter. Your wife requested you to see her." ~  
  
~ Soun Tendo smiled in relieve, then rushed over to the cradle in the   
corner of the room to pick up the one year-old baby to sooth her. "Kasumi-  
chan, would you like to see your new little sister?" he asked, turning back to   
the three years old little girl. The little girl nodded excitedly, finally   
realizing that she's gonna have ANOTHER little sister to take care of. ~  
  
~ The midwife opened the door for Soun, the one year-old girl still in   
his arms, and Kasumi who followed behind him. Immediately, he rushed   
toward the futon in the corner of the inner room. ~  
  
~ "Hiroko-chan, are you alright?" Soun asked worriedly, dropping to   
one knee at the side of the bed. He carefully put the one year-old Nabiki on   
the side of the bed, making sure that she won't fall off, and grabbed a chair   
from the other corner to sit on. "Come here, Kasumi," he said, hauling the   
older girl onto his lap so she could see her mother and the bundle in her   
mother's arms. ~  
  
~ "Yes, I'm alright, Soun. You don't have to worry any more," she   
replied, looking up. "And here's your new daughter," she said. She pulled   
back the cover and Soun smiled as he saw the chubby little face of the baby.   
She gurgled in delight as she saw the man's face looming over hers. Soun   
picked up Nabiki from the side of the bed and grabbed Kasumi as well, to   
show them the face of their new sister. ~  
  
~ "She's so small," Kasumi gasped in delight as she reached out a   
hand to touch the small fingers of the baby. Nabiki just stared at the baby   
for a moment then a bright smile bloomed across the one year-old's face.   
"What's her name, Mama?" ~  
  
~ Hiroko looked at the baby in her arms and her smile dimmed a   
little. She looked up and into the eyes of her beloved husband. "Soun, this   
is my last child. I can have no more and I have yet given you an heir..."   
Hiroko trailed off, a tinge of sadness in her voice. She dropped her eyes, not   
willing to see the disappointment in the eyes of the man she loved. "I'm   
sorry." ~  
  
~ "You will be sorry of nothing," Soun said softly, still smiling. "I   
don't care if I don't have a son. I'm proud to have three such beautiful   
daughters." He chuckled as the baby grabbed his index finger. Hiroko   
looked up, slightly surprised by the answer, then smiled in relief. ~  
  
~ "What will we name her, Soun?" Hiroko asked, watching her   
husband playing with the little baby. ~  
  
~ "Hmm, I don't know," Soun replied. He turned to Kasumi who was   
watching the little baby closely. "What do you think, Kasumi-chan? What   
should we name her?" ~  
  
~ Kasumi stared at the flushed face of her new little sister, watched as   
the baby started screaming when no one was playing with her any more.   
"Akane," she replied, smiling and reaching out a hand to shush the baby. ~  
  
~ Soun laughed, realizing why his oldest daughter chose the name.   
"Yes, Akane is a fitting name for a girl with so much fire in her," he replied.   
"So Akane it is." ~  
  
The images ended and Ranma took a step back. Or at least he thought   
he took a step back. He wasn't even sure if he was standing or not. "That   
was the Past...Akane's past," he whispered aloud absently, mind still reeling   
from the knowledge.   
  
/It is not the end,/ the whisper from before said softly. /Watch. There   
is more./   
  
~ "Papa?" the little girl with short bluish-black hair asked, looking up   
to the anguished face of her father. "Papa, what's wrong? Where's Mama?" ~  
  
~ Soun Tendo looked down to see his youngest daughter staring up at   
him with large curious eyes. And he felt his control slipping again, feeling   
the tears threatening to come out. "She's gone, Akane. She won't ever come   
back again. They took her away to a place far away from here." ~  
  
~ The young Akane's face took on a stubborn and angered look.   
"Why did they take Mama away?! Why didn't you stop them, Papa?!   
Why?! I want Mama back!" ~  
  
~ "I'm sorry, Akane, I'm so sorry," Soun whispered, hugging his   
youngest daughter close to him, feeling the tears rolled down his cheeks   
again. "But she won't ever come back. I'm so, so sorry." ~  
  
~ "NO!!" Akane screamed, struggling out of her father's embrace and   
running out the room, running as if she was trying to catch up to something   
or someone. "No! She'll come back! She always does! Don't go, Mama!   
DON'T!!!" ~  
  
"That- that was when Akane's mother died..." Ranma said. For a   
moment, he felt the same pain as the time when he was taken away from his   
mother to go on the ten-year training trip. It was a familiar pain, yet it was   
stronger and more alien to him. Akane's mother had died. For him, at least   
his mother was still alive.   
  
/Yes, and that was ten years ago,/ the voice said, tinged with sadness.   
/She was only a child, a six years old child.../   
  
~ The six year-old Akane Tendo tripped and fell, sprawling across the   
cold and unyielding earth. She curled up into a tight little ball, whimpering   
as her hands came up covered with blood from the abrupt and violent fall.   
She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, not   
caring that she was wiping blood all over her clothes. She was cold. So   
very cold. ~  
  
~ "Mama..." she whispered, tears trailing down her cheeks and then   
falling, only to be whipped away by the cold wind. "Why did you go...?   
Why did you leave us like this? Why? WHY?!" But the answer did not   
come and she only cried harder. ~  
  
Ranma felt the tears fall but he did not try to wipe it away or hide it.   
He have no need to and he have no desire to. So much pain. He wanted to   
go up to the little girl and hug her, reassure her that she will never be alone   
and that her mother will always be with her, but he knew he couldn't.   
  
/That was the Past...Ranma Saotome. The Past of the girl you know   
as Akane Tendo./ The voice paused, as if contemplating. Then, /And this,   
this is her future as of now./  
  
Ranma sucked in his breath and his eyes widened in disbelieve and   
denial. It was the graveyard, and a funeral was taking place. The funeral of   
Akane Tendo.  
  
~ Soun Tendo stood before the headstone of the freshly dug grave,   
staring silently at the words carved upon it. Kasumi stood to his right, tears   
rolling down her normally serene and happy face. Dr. Tofu stood slightly   
behind her, his arm around her in comfort. Nabiki stood on Soun's left, eyes   
empty and emotionless. No one was there to comfort her and she wanted   
none. She had promised that she'll keep her little sister safe, and she had   
failed that. She deserves no one. ~  
  
~ Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Ryoga stood to the side, each had an   
expression of disbelief and sadness on their faces. Every one of them were   
strong, but none had actually witnessed the devastation of death. At least,   
not to someone so close to them. ~  
  
~ Cologne and Happosai stood further away. They were saddened by   
Akane's death, but they were not shocked, nor were they filled with grief.   
They had lived far too long and had seen way too many deaths for this one   
to affect them, even if the one who had died had been closer to them than   
any of the other victims of Death. ~  
  
~ Kuno and Kodachi stood surprisingly silent. For once in their lives,   
they had come out of their illusionary world. ~  
  
~ Ranma Saotome stood alone and silent behind everyone else, eyes   
shadowed behind black bangs, yet tears could be seen falling down toward   
the ground. "Akane..." he whispered so softly that no one heard him. "I'm   
so sorry..." ~  
  
"STOP!" Ranma screamed, screwing his eyes shut tightly to keep out   
the images played out before him. "Stop it! I don't want to see this! I   
DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS!!!" He fell to his knees, eyes shut and tears   
falling down toward the nothingness beneath him. He did not notice. All he   
saw was the image of the gravestone, carved with Akane's name and the date   
of birth and death. He was crying. He was truly crying for the first time in   
ten years.   
  
/You, Ranma Saotome, had seen the Past and the Future of this young   
woman named Akane Tendo. You care for her deeply, and I know. Don't   
try to hide it any more. It will only hurt you, and ultimately, her as well.   
You cannot change the past, Ranma. But you can make her happy. You can   
change the future./   
  
Ranma felt a presence joining him and he looked up to see a form,   
familiar, yet so alien at the same time. He could barely make out the   
features of the unknown person, but somehow, he knew. "You."  
  
"Yes, me," Hiroko Tendo said softly and sadly. Her beautiful flower   
patterned kimono fluttered around her softly even though there was no wind.   
Her long dark hair was pinned up in an intricate and complicated style. The   
familiar warm brown eyes looked down at him in sadness. "Don't let her die   
like this, Ranma. Don't let her die a meaningless death."   
  
"How...?" Ranma asked, voice soft and filled with despair.   
  
"Look." Hiroko raised a slender hand and pointed to something   
behind him. Ranma stood up and slowly turned around, afraid of what he   
might see, yet, afraid of not seeing it. A bright blue light flashed, blinding   
him momentarily, then it winked out, leaving Ranma blinking to adjust.   
  
His eyes widened slightly as they finally adjust to the darkness once   
again and he let out a strangled shout. "Akane!" Before him, against the   
background of endless darkness, was a coffin-like crystal case; a bright, but   
shadowed blue light pulsed steadily like a heart beating without end. Within   
that crystal case was the body of Akane Tendo, eyes closed and arms   
wrapped around her naked form. Her body was curled slightly inward as   
well as her legs. It looked as if she was just sleeping peacefully, if it   
wasn't for the blue light that made her skin seem like ice.   
  
Ranma reached out a trembling hand, trying to touch her, to see if she   
was real, but it was stopped by the crystal case. He drew his hand back   
almost immediately. It was not a case. It was a huge chunk of frozen ice.   
  
"This is what was left of her when I found her," Hiroko said from   
behind him, but he did not turn around. "Her body. An empty husk."   
Ranma stiffened in shock and his mind battled with what she had said   
meant. "No, not an empty husk. Rather, a vessel with not enough life   
force."   
  
"A vessel..." Ranma whispered, voice slightly shaking, one hand   
hovering close to the cold surface of the ice yet not touching. He clenched   
his hand and drew it down to his side again, turning around slowly with an   
air of determination. There was an unholy bright light burning in his eyes   
when they met the familiar brown of Hiroko Tendo's.   
  
Hiroko simply stared back, face completely empty of emotion, yet   
there was a fait but well covered trail of sadness and pain in her eyes.   
  
"You said I can help her. You said I can change her future."  
  
The older woman gave a curt nod, then walked past him to face the   
ice case. "Yes, and that was the reason I brought you here. To save her   
life." Hiroko touched her fingertips to the smooth, cold surface of the ice   
case, and despite the unmoving expression, a single tear rolled down her   
cheek. She hastily wiped away that tear but she did not loose contact with   
the ice case, nor did she turn around to face Ranma. "Or rather sharing your   
soul, your life force with her. Are you willing to do this, Ranma Saotome,   
the last descendent of the Saotome Clan? Are you willing to have half of   
your soul, your _soul_, to reside in this woman's body? To share a bond   
closer than any lovers, a tie that nothing, not even death, could break? Do   
you swear to protect her and love her and cherish her for the rest of your life,   
and beyond? Do you, Ranma?"   
  
Hiroko spun around abruptly and stared into the younger man's eyes,   
telling him without words just how important his answers are. "Are you   
willing to do all of this just save this young woman's life?"  
  
Ranma shifted his eyes to the still form of Akane then back to Hiroko.   
A spark of fire appeared in his eyes and they gleamed with determination.   
"Yes, I am willing to do all of that for Akane. Anything for Akane."   
  
Hiroko slowly nodded her head, a strange understanding settling   
inside her mind. His choice had been made and no matter what happens   
now, in the end it will always be his choice.   
  
"Alright, I am ready." Slowly, a soft red glow surrounded the young   
man's form. Ranma raised his hands up to his face, staring at the red aura,   
and then brought his hands up to the ice that incased his fiancee. Slowly,   
almost like in a dream, his hand, then his arm and finally his whole body   
sank into the blue crystal. The sensation of ice cold liquid assaulted his   
body and felt his limbs slow down in their movement across the cold space.   
  
Cold... Everything so hazy now and his body felt like a great piece of   
lead. His muscles refused to move, but he was determined. Time slowed   
down to a crawl.   
  
Akane...  
  
~ * * ~   
  
So cold.  
  
It was so cold.   
  
Where am I? Who am I? Why am I here? And where exactly is   
'here', anyway? I'm so cold. It was getting colder now, and it felt like I'm   
being frozen into a solid piece of ice.   
  
I think I remember a time when there was warmth. It was so   
wonderful, then, and I felt so safe in your arms. 'Your arms?' Who are   
'you?' I don't remember.   
  
An image. A scene. A short black pigtail symbolizing a carefree   
spirit. A pair of stormy blue eyes floated in the dark black space, staring at   
me with an intense emotion. A wild black stallion? Ran...ma...? I don't   
remember. My head hurts so much. The images are scattering and I reached   
out, wanting them back. I want to feel safe again; I want you back in my   
life.   
  
A light... It felt warm, that light, and it beckoned me toward it. So   
warm...yet so cold at the same time. My heart felt reluctance but my mind   
wants the warmth and it pushed me on.   
  
A river crossed my path. The water was so dark, so cold. I didn't   
want to go into the water but the light whispered sensuous promises to me. I   
hesitated. I didn't want to go. The water looked cold to me. So cold. But   
the whispers of warmth and safety continued.  
  
The edge loomed before me and the dark water rushed down the set   
path without a sound. So silent. So cold.  
  
I stepped forward.  
  
~ * * ~  
  
Akane... His limbs moved within the cold liquid slowly but steadily.   
He reached out, but the form of his love was still so far away. Too far away.  
  
"Akane..." he whispered out loud, although there was no sound.   
"Don't leave me, please...I need you..."   
  
His arms wrapped themselves around the cold naked form of the girl   
he loves. And then, there was only darkness.  
  
Don't leave me...  
  
~ * * ~  
  
I'm drowning.  
  
The black depth of the water rushed toward me and I felt the icy   
coldness of the liquid engulfing me. I wanted to scream. I tried to scream   
but nothing came out of my mouth. I was frozen in place, feeling   
helplessness and panic as I sank beneath the cold black depth. Beneath me,   
within the complete darkness, a young man stood. A cloak of shadows   
swirled about him, blending in with the surrounding. His pale face and   
hands were the only thing that could be seen, seeming as if hovering   
disjointed in the darkness. Long chestnut brown hair flowed slowly against   
the backdrop of nothingness, loose strands occasionally flowing in front of   
his face, blocking my vision of him. Amethyst eyes peered up at me in   
curiosity. In his right hand was a long gleaming silver scythe, the blade   
curving away from him. I felt utter panic bubbling up from the depth of my   
being. The young man's free left hand slowly raised, reaching toward me.  
  
Death. Death is waiting for me with outstretched hands.   
  
I tilted my head and looked up at the rippling surface, at life, at the   
freedom that I knew exist there. I raised my arms and reached up. My   
fingertip touched the surface, the boundary between life and death, but it   
was no use. I continued to sink down toward my demise.   
  
'No...NO!' I screamed, mouth moving yet no sound coming out. This   
can't be the end. It just can't.   
  
Another's hand suddenly plunged down and grabbed mine. I cling to   
that hand; not knowing whose hand it is, yet desperate to escape Death's   
clutches. But I'm still sinking and the hand was sinking with me.   
Powerfully muscled arm followed that hand, then a shoulder, and then a   
whole entire form sank beneath the surface of the freezing cold water.   
  
Black hair tied back into a pigtail. Red shirt hugging muscular frame.   
Black pants encasing powerful legs.   
  
And eyes. Stormy blue eyes filling me with warmth. Familiar. So   
familiar. Who are you?  
  
'Don't go...please...'   
  
Your mouth was moving but no sound came out. Yet, I could hear   
you. Within my mind, within my heart I hear your voice.   
  
'Don't leave me...I can't live without you...'  
  
Your voice was so sad, filled with loneliness. I wanted to chase away   
the sadness and place a bright smile on your face, as the way it should be.   
And your eyes...your eyes reflected so many different emotions.   
  
Who are you? Why can't I remember?  
  
Slowly I drifted into your embrace. Vaguely, I realized that we're not   
sinking any more but staying in that one place, suspended in time.   
  
'I love you. Please don't leave me...'   
  
I stared into your eyes; warmth spreading over my body as your arms   
wrapped them around me. So beautiful. So warm. So alive. But who are   
you? You're so familiar to me, yet I have no recollection of you. Who are   
you? Who?!   
  
Panic crowded at the back of my throat, threatening to choke me. I   
want to know. I must know! Who are you...?! We're sinking again.   
Sinking downward toward Death's outstretched hand, toward the end of our   
lives. I squeezed my eyes shut, not wishing to see my own demise. No! I   
refuse to believe that this is the end; that there's no more to live for any   
more!   
  
Help me...! Help me Ranma!!  
  
I froze, eyes snapping open in shock. Ranma. Wild Stallion.   
Ran...ma... I looked up into your eyes again and recognition filled me.   
  
'Akane...'  
  
It's you. It really is you. You came for me, just as you promised you   
would. I smiled. And with a sharp gasp, we broke the surface.   
  
~ * * ~  
  
Death stood still within the darkness, watching as the form of the girl   
and the young man drifted upward, away from it. It let its pale hand drop to   
its side once again.   
  
Yes, this is the way it should be, Death thought. The girl wasn't   
supposed to be here now. It was too early for her to arrive here, at the gate   
between Life and Death. It was curious at first. What had the girl done to   
make her come here? But it doesn't matter now. She's leaving, back to   
where she belong in the great scheme of the world.   
  
Death tilted its head, wide amethyst eyes peering curiously into the   
surrounding darkness. Another had entered the Sea of Chaos. A feral grin   
appeared on Death's face, twisting its delicate features into something   
unpleasant. It's him. The one Death had been waiting for since the first time   
they met within that same Sea of Chaos. The demon was elusive, escaping   
Death's grasp time and again. But not this time. This time, Death is getting   
what it wants.   
  
And it wants the shadowed soul of a demon simply known as Reilion.   
  
~ * * ~  
  
She was cold.   
  
A cool breeze wrapped itself around her and it's cold tendrils found its   
way past the tattered remains of her clothes to brush against her skin.   
  
She was cold.  
  
Her fingers slowly twitched and a soft groan forced its way past her   
lips. Her body hurt *really* bad. No, 'really bad' are words simply too mild   
for what she was feeling. It felt as though she had been ran over by a ten   
thousand pound truck, sent down to hell only to be rejected by the great Lord   
of Death, then thrown down to boil in the Cauldron of Eternal Pain.   
Memories began to drift back to her once more.   
  
Maybe reality wasn't too far off from that after all.   
  
Damn, she was freezing.  
  
"Akane?" A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her,   
chasing the cold away. "Are you awake now?"  
  
Another groan sounded, followed by a name she remembered well.   
  
"R-Ranma?" Slowly, her eyes opened, but all she saw was dark blurs   
moving against a diamond-studded sky. It was beautiful. She wondered   
why she never noticed just how beautiful the night sky is.   
  
"Yeah. I'm here."  
  
"What happened?" She was tired, so very tired. Her limps refused to   
move at her command. She couldn't even lift her head. Either her body   
parts are too hurt to move, or they are as strong and supportive as jellyfish.   
  
"I don't know." He sounded tired too. She wondered what had   
happened to make him so tired.   
  
She wondered why she was still alive.  
  
"Is Reilion gone?" She hoped she got him with her final blast. She'd   
rather die along with Reilion than to live and have Reilion alive as well.   
  
"I believe so."   
  
The stars above seem to be either winking at her, or laughing at her.   
She couldn't decide which. But they're certainly making her dizzy.  
  
"Where are we, Ranma?"  
  
"In the park, I think."  
  
"Aa."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Ranma?"   
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"The night sky is beautiful, isn't it?" There was a slight shifting as he   
raised his head to look up at the sky.  
  
"Aa, it is beautiful."   
  
"They're making me dizzy, though."  
  
"Then close your eyes and sleep, Akane." His voice was soft and   
gentle, and she wondered if this is his true self, when he wasn't being   
pressured all the time. Slowly, she closed her eyes again, and now she saw   
only darkness behind her eyelid. No more stars to either mock her or praise   
her anymore.   
  
It was so quiet, so unlike the normal days where the air was filled with   
angry shouts and sounds of destruction. She decided that she liked this   
quietness, especially when she had him to share it with her.   
  
"You came for me." It was simple and clear, and neither needed any   
clarifying on just what that statement meant. They knew each other too well   
for that.   
  
"Yeah, I did." There was another shifting as he drew her closer into   
his embrace. She didn't mind. She liked being warm.  
  
"Thank you."   
  
He did not reply, but the tightening of his arms was all the answer she   
needed. He would come for her, whenever and wherever. He would always   
come for her.   
  
She smiled.   
  
In the distant east, light began to penetrate the night. It chased away   
the darkness, and along with it, the stars.   
  
Dawn was coming.  
  
~ * * ~  
The End  
~ * * ~  
  
I'm DONE!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!! ^_____^ So, how is it?   
Personally, I think this is the best part I've ever done. I especially like the   
last part, which is done in a newer and better style than my old stuff. And   
this... *ish in tears* is my first finished multi-chapter work! ALRIGHT!!   
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *starts dancing around, scaring everyone   
within reach* XD Please, please, PLEASE tell me what you think! My   
email is at bailuli@hotmail.com and I would LOVE it if I get some   
comments and suggestions on this! What I really want to know is if the   
ending is too confusing and if anyone need any clarification on anything. So   
please, email me!   
I'd like to thank Aprillyn Darling , and MWhaleK   
MWhaleK@aol.com for their help in prereading and the such in the process of   
writing this. http://www.angelfire.com/anime/kei/ 


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